More shopping advice: Torpedo vs Corney Kegs

[pkiller001]

I'm setting up my first kegging system. Looking around, seems like torpedos are the newer kids on the block, and can be stacked while tapped. The corney kegs are the old standbys. I'm going to be brewing 1.5-2.5 gallon batches, so the smaller torpedos seem the most attractive at first blush, especially since I can stack them, though I found some 2.5 g corney kegs at Northern Brewer as well.

Are there any other points of comparison worth taking into account?

thanks in advance

 

[VikeMan]

FWIW, those 2.5 gallon kegs you're seeing at Northern Brewer are not true "corny kegs" any more than Torpedo kegs are. Both are modern knockoff variants of corny style kegs, which Cornelius/Firestone/etc. haven't made in a long time.

I haven't used Torpedo kegs myself, but if stackability is something you need, they would seem to be a no brainer.

I have used various Italian and Chinese corny knockoffs. If you go that route, I highly recommend getting kegs with rubberized handles. The bare metal "strap" handle versions are a pain (literally) to lift and carry.

 

[Golddiggie]

I have mostly 2.5 or 3 gallon (Italian) corny kegs. I don't have any issues with the single metal handle.

I do have a few 5 gallon rubber handle corny kegs (bought years back). One is empty and the other two still have beer in them.

I recently purchased a pair of 6 gallon Torpedo kegs since I now have a keezer that's got enough space for me to use those. I was using the 3 gallon kegs since I brew 6 gallon (final kegging volume) batches for the majority. Having two three gallon kegs in my beer fridge made sense.

I'll be sanitizing and filling one of the 6 gallon kegs next weekend (most likely) along with a 3 gallon for my 9 gallon batch of English IPA. I can see changing over to those as I brew more/over time, since it will reduce the number of kegs in the keezer while increasing the batches/recipes in there. With room for about 8 kegs in the main section of the keezer, I'm set for a while now.

I'm not sure what I'll do with the two 2.5 gallon kegs I have. I haven't used them in more than a few years now. I also have a pair of red lid (plastic handled) 3 gallon kegs that are not seeing any lovin.

 

[moreb33rplz]

I've owned both the regular and torpedo 2.5 gallon kegs, and I liked them both. Maybe a small preference for the regular since the hardware was all standard, the posts on the torpedo are different so my deep socket didn't fit.

 

[RCope]

I have nine 5 gallon and two 2.5 gallon Torpedo Kegs. All but one is slimline which is a benefit if you need it. The New Komos (nee KegKing?) kegerator will even fit four 5 gallon kegs but only if they are the slimline version. My older 3 tap KegKing benefits from the slimline as well.

All are of predictable excellent quality and I've never had one leak. And my OCD likes having similar kegs. And the handles are comfortable. But I'm sure there are no functional differences between other kegs...

 

[micraftbeer]

I own a mix of both. Basically whatever was cheapest when I needed to add another keg. The stackable feature is something I've never used. Two small pro/con items on the torpedo keg are:

1. The dip tube on Torpedo isn't flared up top by the ball lock, it's a 2-piece affair with a small ring that's pressed over the long straight dip tube. I've ended up popping that off by accidentally dropping it into the keg and it slid down and popped the ring off. Annoying, but it could be put back on without much effort. Now I'm just careful to lower it in.

2. The silver color of the Torpedo allows simple high-contrast black font 'IN' and 'OUT' markings. Very nice in a dimly lit keezer.

 

[Brooothru]

FWIW, those 2.5 gallon kegs you're seeing at Northern Brewer are not true "corny kegs" any more than Torpedo kegs are. Both are modern knockoff variants of corny style kegs, which Cornelius/Firestone/etc. haven't made in a long time.

I haven't used Torpedo kegs myself, but if stackability is something you need, they would seem to be a no brainer.

I have used various Italian and Chinese corny knockoffs. If you go that route, I highly recommend getting kegs with rubberized handles. The bare metal "strap" handle versions are a pain (literally) to lift and carry.

I actually obtained 4 "real" Cornelius 2½ gallon kegs about 15 years ago, $150 for all four, in pristine condition. Fella had 'em and didn't use them. I was just getting into kegging and thought, "What the heck. Why not." They get used quite a bit when I'm half way down in a 5 gallon keg and need the extra keg space for a new batch, and they are still the cleanest "used' kegs in my collection.

I also have two 1.6 gallon (6L) Torpedo kegs I got as a Christmas gift from my son a few years ago, who expects that I'll fill them occasionally for HIS kegerator on a recurring basis. About the same time I also picked up a 2½ gallon Torpedo keg. They work fine, though initially I had issues with them loosing pressure, mostly around the keg lid seal, but also at the post seal gaskets. That was shortly after they first came out in the market. I haven't heard many complaints about poor seals lately. It may have been that the lids and post seals just needed to "set" against pressure. And I'm more careful about tightening the posts when I clean or replace seal gaskets now. I haven't had any pressure leakings lately.

The stackability of the kegs is definitely a plus, and there are no issues with the rolled steel handles like what @VikeMan mentioned with the Chinese knockoffs. The 1.6 gallon kegs are also useful for cleaning kegerator lines and taps without wasting lots of CO2, or PBW and BLC. Very portable for a trip to the beach or a camping trip as well. They fit nicely inside an Igloo cooler with plenty of room for ice, a pony tap and a min-regulator and 70 gram CO2 cartridge. Even the 2½ gallon one will fit (barely though) if you have thirsty friends.

 

[jddevinn]

I have a munch of mismatched kegs. Only thing I don't like about the single handle ones are they are hard (as in takes a extra few minutes) to balance on the keg cleaner.

 

[TheBluePhantom]

fyi, adventures sells 5, 3, 2.5, 1.75 rubber handle corny style here:
Home Brew Kegs - New and Used Kegs for Kegging Homebrew
they are slim ones, about 8.5 inches.

 

[skidmark]

If you're buying new, avoid those with the "hang tab" lids. The way that tab is spot welded leaves no way to clean or sanitize the crevice between the lid and the tab.

 

[Stonehenge360]

I have 5 slimline 5 gal torpedo. I went with the slimline because it’s easier to jam 4 into my little keezer. Never had a corny myself, but Torpedos are high quality and I have 0 complaints.

 

[Mutant]

I like the straight tubes in the torpedoes, but the convex bottom makes them more difficult to clean. The posts on the torpedoes are non-standard sizes - I had used a set of calipers to compare the differences (don't have those values anymore). I will stick with current "corney" kegs. If I use my torpedoes, it is for carbonated mineral water clones - as cleaning doesn't become a concern.

 

[Gozie Boy]

I've never had any problems cleaning out my tornadoes, and I have a baker's dozen of them.

 

[Reneauj62]

I have two Torpedo Kegs ( 5 gallon) and I do love the quality and that they can stack BUT I just bought a Komos Kegerator and it will fit 4 kegs in it but, because the Torpedo is Fatter I can only place one Torpedo keg and three regular corny kegs in it if I duct tape it shut..... I cannot have two Torpedoes in there. Just something to think about.

 

[Knightshade]

I have 1 1.5G Torpedo keg, but I gravitated towards corny kegs when I went to 5G size. Much of that was due to having targeted the Komos v2 kegerator, which I knew wasn't going to fit 4 Torpedos and I was a little worried about the increased height being an issue with the slimline versions.

On a side note, You can fit 3 corny and 1 Sanke keg in a Komos v2.